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The History of American Cinema: 1954

October - December

14/10 -

Michael Curtiz’s White Christmas is released in Vistavision by Paramount.   The sentimental musical, with a score provided by Irving Berlin, stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen and Dean Jagger. [ADD]

28/10 -

Otto Preminger’s Carmen Jones, based on the opera Carmen by Bizet, is released.   The composer’s heirs refuse permission for the film to be shown in France. [ADD]

13/11 -

Bugs Bunny makes a 3D appearance in the animated short, Lumber Jack-Rabbit, which is intended to be shown with Warners’ 3D feature House of Wax. [ADD]

30/11 -

The Screen Actors Guild urges the Immigration Bureau to practice a ‘stricter application’ of regulations governing ‘(non-resident) alien actors coming into this country to take supporting or even minor roles in movies being made here.’ [ADD]

1/12 -

Darryl F. Zanuck announces that receipts at cinemas in Britain showing CinemaScope films have increased by over 50%. [ADD]

15/12 -

George Seaton’s film version of Clifford Odets play The Country Girl is released.   Bing Crosby stars as an alcoholic has-been singer, while Grace Kelly appears as the wife whom film director William Holden believes is the cause of Crosby’s drinking. [ADD]

25/12 -

Robert Aldrich’s Vera Cruz, the first film made in Superscope, a process similar to CinemaScope, is released.   Burt Lancaster and Gary Cooper star. [ADD]

28/12 -

New York critics vote Marlon Brando best actor for Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront, and Grace Kelly best actress for George Seaton's The Country Girl. [ADD]

– In an attempt to encourage exhibitors into taking up their CinemaScope format, 20^th Century-Fox introduces monophonic optical and magnetic film prints in addition to the four-track magnetic version. [ADD]

– Mike Todd and his son consider using Hans Raube's 15-year-old Scentovision system for their forthcoming film, Around the World in 80 Days. [ADD]

– The Writers Guild of America is formed from the merger of Screen Writers Guild, Radio Writers Guild and the Television Writers Guild. [ADD]

– Warner Bros. becomes the first Hollywood major to make a substantial move into television when it enters into an agreement with ABC to make 41 hours of filmed programmes under the banner Warner Brothers Presents.   MGM, 20^th Century-Fox and Paramount soon follow suit. [ADD]

– By the end of the year there are 3,500 cinemas capable of showing Cinemascope. [ADD]

– Joseph Breen retires as director of the Production Code administration after 20 years.   He is replaced by Geoffrey Shurlock. [ADD]

– The major studios begin selling their animated shorts to TV stations for syndication. [ADD]

– Disney closes its’ animated shorts unit. [ADD]

Top Ten US Box-office stars of 1954

1.      John Wayne

2.      Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis

3.      Gary Cooper

4.      James Stewart

5.      Marilyn Monroe

6.      Alan Ladd

7.      William Holden

8.      Bing Crosby

9.      Jane Wyman

10.    Marlon Brando

Source: Quigley Poll

Other Key American Films of 1954

Hansel and Gretel (Michael Myerberg, John Paul) [ADD]

The History of Cinema: 1954